NATION MOURNS TALENTED GENIUS
Posted on 2nd December 2023
It is hard this week to start without writing about Shane MacGowan. Hearing his duet Haunted with Sinead O’Connor on Thursday morning on the radio sent shivers down my spine. This year we have now lost 3 of our most talented artists. MacGowan was arguably in a class of his own, a “genius” as described regularly by a music publishing friend of mine, an accolade to which I now readily attest. I suppose it would be fair to say that it is a miracle that he survived as long as he did with the cocktail of booze and drugs that assaulted his system. I remember one incident in 1985 which still sticks in my mind to this day. However, rebel, songwriter and poet I salute you. And. like for so many, I will enjoy Fairytale of New York this Christmas and every Christmas I survive.
Well, the aftermath of the Dublin riot rumbles on. I’m glad to see the standing of my local T.D. Helen McEntee, Minister for Justice, has improved after a fairly convincing performance in the Dail when she saw off Sinn Fein T.D. Louise O’Reilly. She said “Not a single solution, not a single proposal and not a single thing of benefit has come out of Sinn Fein’s mouth”. Instead, she reckoned Sinn Fein had used the situation “To sow division, to point-score and to create instability”. She contrasted her support for the Garda Commissioner against Mary Lou McDonald calling for his head. This is all politically adept, law and order is now full front and central in the electorate’s eyes. They want to feel safe to walk the streets of our capital city. The government must give the Gardai the resources they require which we the citizens demand. The Minister must impress on her cabinet colleagues how essential this is as this will become a crucial issue in the next election. As for the Minister, she might just have saved her position as a possible contender to lead the Blue Shirts. Simon Harris please note.
I have been struggling with the awfulness of Gaza, trying to get inside the thinking of the Israelis, trying to understand the hurt they feel from the atrocity committed on October 7th. Yet as time drags on and the death toll rises, the insanity of it all becomes pervasive. Every time I see the images of the pulverised buildings on the television I wince. Every time I think about the hostages I shudder. I just keep praying for a long-term truce. The Israelis damaged their standing with the ludicrous criticism of the Taoiseach. Frankly they should apologise. Our government has been both compassionate and supportive. So, they shouldn’t push their luck.
